Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 48-year-old Timothy C. Tucker of Inglewood, California was arraigned this afternoon before Erie County Court Judge Suzanne Maxwell Barnes on an indictment charging him with one count of Operating as a Major Trafficker (Class “A-1” felony), two counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree (Class “A-I” felony) and one count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree (Class “B” felony); and 19-year-old Loany G. Gato Aronategui of Henderson, Nevada was arraigned this morning before Erie County Court Judge Suzanne Maxwell Barnes on an indictment charging her with two counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree (Class “A-I” felony) and one count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree (Class “B” felony).
The defendants were the subject of an investigation into suspected cocaine trafficking. On Wednesday, January 18, 2023, at approximately 7:30 p.m., investigators from the Erie County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics and Intelligence Unit, assisted by the Buffalo Police Department and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, executed a search warrant at a residence on the 100 block of Pine Street in the City of Buffalo. Investigators found approximately 12 kilos of suspected cocaine and 2 kilos of Fentanyl inside of the garage of the rental home and inside of a hidden compartment of a rental vehicle. The defendants are accused of knowingly and unlawfully being in possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute.
A third person was initially charged for their alleged involvement in the crime. The case was dismissed by a Grand Jury and sealed by operation of law.
Gato Aronategui is scheduled to return on April 10, 2023 at 9:30 a.m. and Tucker is scheduled to return on April 13, 2023 at 2:30 p.m. for a pre-trial conference. Both defendants continue to be held without bail.
If convicted of the highest charge, Tucker faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison and Gato Aronategui faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
DA Flynn commends the Erie County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics and Intelligence Unit, Buffalo Police Department and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force for their work in this investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by Chief John P. Gerken, Jr. of the Narcotics/Intelligence Unit.
As are all persons accused of a crime, the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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